Taking a clear look at Philips' sparkling new LED

20 June 2014

Transcript

[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
Hey I'm CNet's [UNKNOWN] Hey I'm CNet's [UNKNOWN]
with an exclusive first look at the Phillips Clear LED. with an exclusive first look at the Phillips Clear LED.
This is a design oriented bulb that's made for exposed aesthetics. This is a design oriented bulb that's made for exposed aesthetics.
If you wanna have the sort of bathroom lights that shine out with the filaments exposed, this is bulb that's gonna mimic that. If you wanna have the sort of bathroom lights that shine out with the filaments exposed, this is bulb that's gonna mimic that.
It's does that using a sort of crystal like crown in the middle of it that's going to catch the light from the LED's and send it sparkling out sort of like the old filaments of days past. It's does that using a sort of crystal like crown in the middle of it that's going to catch the light from the LED's and send it sparkling out sort of like the old filaments of days past.
Now, this is a 40 watt replacement bulb that uses 6 watts to put out 470 lumens worth of light. Now, this is a 40 watt replacement bulb that uses 6 watts to put out 470 lumens worth of light.
That gives it an efficiency rating just under 80 lumens per watt which is pretty good. That gives it an efficiency rating just under 80 lumens per watt which is pretty good.
That's the same wattage you'll see from the Cree 40 watt replacement although the Philips Clear puts out an extra 20 lumens. That's the same wattage you'll see from the Cree 40 watt replacement although the Philips Clear puts out an extra 20 lumens.
That's also a little bit more efficient than the standard Phillips 40 watt equivalent LED which puts out the same 470 lumens using eight watts. That's also a little bit more efficient than the standard Phillips 40 watt equivalent LED which puts out the same 470 lumens using eight watts.
So how does the Phillips clear compare to the Cree 40 watt replacement and the existing Phillips 40 watt replacement in terms of light quality? So how does the Phillips clear compare to the Cree 40 watt replacement and the existing Phillips 40 watt replacement in terms of light quality?
Well, let's test them out and take a look. Well, let's test them out and take a look.
So here on the left we've got the Cree 40 watt replacement LED. So here on the left we've got the Cree 40 watt replacement LED.
Moving here to the middle we've got the Philips standard 40 watt replacement, and then over here on the right is the Philips clear. Moving here to the middle we've got the Philips standard 40 watt replacement, and then over here on the right is the Philips clear.
So looking at these three bulbs altogether we can see that they've got a nice 2700K across the board. So looking at these three bulbs altogether we can see that they've got a nice 2700K across the board.
We've got warm and condescent light from all three of them. We've got warm and condescent light from all three of them.
And the other thing that you notice right away is that the clear exposed aesthetic of the clear LED really stands out in comparison to the standard Phillips and the Cree. And the other thing that you notice right away is that the clear exposed aesthetic of the clear LED really stands out in comparison to the standard Phillips and the Cree.
The kind of bathroom light look, that exposed bulb over your mirror, works best with this bulb, I think. The kind of bathroom light look, that exposed bulb over your mirror, works best with this bulb, I think.
This is probably the bulb I want in my bathroom. This is probably the bulb I want in my bathroom.
The other thing you might notice is that the Phillips clear looks a little bit dimmer than these two. The other thing you might notice is that the Phillips clear looks a little bit dimmer than these two.
And that's not the bulb's fault. And that's not the bulb's fault.
It's actually the European version of the bulb we're looking at today. It's actually the European version of the bulb we're looking at today.
The U.S. version, not available to us yet. The U.S. version, not available to us yet.
And there's something that gets lost in translation when it comes to brightness from Europe to America. And there's something that gets lost in translation when it comes to brightness from Europe to America.
So, it's a little dimmer than it should be. So, it's a little dimmer than it should be.
We expect it to be brighter when we see the U.S. version, a little later this year. We expect it to be brighter when we see the U.S. version, a little later this year.
Now Phillip's isn't releasing pricing or exact availability and so on this bulb quite yet. Now Phillip's isn't releasing pricing or exact availability and so on this bulb quite yet.
We'll keep you updated on that front. We'll keep you updated on that front.
But all they're saying for now is it will be available in the U.S and in Europe by the end of the year. But all they're saying for now is it will be available in the U.S and in Europe by the end of the year.
So stay tuned for more here on CNet appliances. So stay tuned for more here on CNet appliances.
I'm Ryan Chris. I'm Ryan Chris.
[MUSIC] [MUSIC]
Hey I'm CNet's [UNKNOWN] Hey I'm CNet's [UNKNOWN]
with an exclusive first look at the Phillips Clear LED. with an exclusive first look at the Phillips Clear LED.
This is a design oriented bulb that's made for exposed aesthetics. This is a design oriented bulb that's made for exposed aesthetics.
If you wanna have the sort of bathroom lights that shine out with the filaments exposed, this is bulb that's gonna mimic that. If you wanna have the sort of bathroom lights that shine out with the filaments exposed, this is bulb that's gonna mimic that.
It's does that using a sort of crystal like crown in the middle of it that's going to catch the light from the LED's and send it sparkling out sort of like the old filaments of days past. It's does that using a sort of crystal like crown in the middle of it that's going to catch the light from the LED's and send it sparkling out sort of like the old filaments of days past.
Now, this is a 40 watt replacement bulb that uses 6 watts to put out 470 lumens worth of light. Now, this is a 40 watt replacement bulb that uses 6 watts to put out 470 lumens worth of light.
That gives it an efficiency rating just under 80 lumens per watt which is pretty good. That gives it an efficiency rating just under 80 lumens per watt which is pretty good.
That's the same wattage you'll see from the Cree 40 watt replacement although the Philips Clear puts out an extra 20 lumens. That's the same wattage you'll see from the Cree 40 watt replacement although the Philips Clear puts out an extra 20 lumens.
That's also a little bit more efficient than the standard Phillips 40 watt equivalent LED which puts out the same 470 lumens using eight watts. That's also a little bit more efficient than the standard Phillips 40 watt equivalent LED which puts out the same 470 lumens using eight watts.
So how does the Phillips clear compare to the Cree 40 watt replacement and the existing Phillips 40 watt replacement in terms of light quality? So how does the Phillips clear compare to the Cree 40 watt replacement and the existing Phillips 40 watt replacement in terms of light quality?
Well, let's test them out and take a look. Well, let's test them out and take a look.
So here on the left we've got the Cree 40 watt replacement LED. So here on the left we've got the Cree 40 watt replacement LED.
Moving here to the middle we've got the Philips standard 40 watt replacement, and then over here on the right is the Philips clear. Moving here to the middle we've got the Philips standard 40 watt replacement, and then over here on the right is the Philips clear.
So looking at these three bulbs altogether we can see that they've got a nice 2700K across the board. So looking at these three bulbs altogether we can see that they've got a nice 2700K across the board.
We've got warm and condescent light from all three of them. We've got warm and condescent light from all three of them.
And the other thing that you notice right away is that the clear exposed aesthetic of the clear LED really stands out in comparison to the standard Phillips and the Cree. And the other thing that you notice right away is that the clear exposed aesthetic of the clear LED really stands out in comparison to the standard Phillips and the Cree.
The kind of bathroom light look, that exposed bulb over your mirror, works best with this bulb, I think. The kind of bathroom light look, that exposed bulb over your mirror, works best with this bulb, I think.
This is probably the bulb I want in my bathroom. This is probably the bulb I want in my bathroom.
The other thing you might notice is that the Phillips clear looks a little bit dimmer than these two. The other thing you might notice is that the Phillips clear looks a little bit dimmer than these two.
And that's not the bulb's fault. And that's not the bulb's fault.
It's actually the European version of the bulb we're looking at today. It's actually the European version of the bulb we're looking at today.
The U.S. version, not available to us yet. The U.S. version, not available to us yet.
And there's something that gets lost in translation when it comes to brightness from Europe to America. And there's something that gets lost in translation when it comes to brightness from Europe to America.
So, it's a little dimmer than it should be. So, it's a little dimmer than it should be.
We expect it to be brighter when we see the U.S. version, a little later this year. We expect it to be brighter when we see the U.S. version, a little later this year.
Now Phillip's isn't releasing pricing or exact availability and so on this bulb quite yet. Now Phillip's isn't releasing pricing or exact availability and so on this bulb quite yet.
We'll keep you updated on that front. We'll keep you updated on that front.
But all they're saying for now is it will be available in the U.S and in Europe by the end of the year. But all they're saying for now is it will be available in the U.S and in Europe by the end of the year.
So stay tuned for more here on CNet appliances. So stay tuned for more here on CNet appliances.
I'm Ryan Chris. I'm Ryan Chris.